Porthole cover construction



Oct. 31, 1939. J. A. ELFSTROM PORTHOLE COVER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1938 Patented ()ct. 31,1939

l'lED STA'i 2,178,392 PORTHOLE COVER- CONSTRUCTION John A. Elfstrom, Staten Island, N. Y. Application July 21, 1938, Serial No. 220,491 1 Claim. (01. 114-178) The invention relates to improvements in the face of the casting to define the outer edge of the construction of closures for portholes on ships, porthole, while the casting projects inwardly with aircraft and the like. an opening ill of slightly greater diameter. Objects and advantages of the invention will be About the cylindrical surface 2| the casting I is 5 set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be formed as a thickened ring 22 tapering from the 5 obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice flat surface 23 upwardly and inwardly to form with the invention, the same being realized and a flat edge or shoulder 24 along the inner surface attained "by means of the instrumentalities and of the casting E. An annular groove 25 is formed combinations pointed out in the appended claim, in said surface 24 and seated therein is a cushion- H) The invention consists in the novel parts, coning gasket 26 of rubber or the like.

structions, arrangements, combinations and im- A ppfl Cover, Comprising primarily provements herein shown and described. a Cylindrical frame is mounted pivotal The accompanying drawing, referred t r i movement toward and away from the casting l.

and constituting apart hereof, illustrates one em- AS embodied. Said frame 3 is p d w th outbodiment of the invention, and together with the Wardly projecting h g ugs C which are bored 15 description, serves to explain the principles of the at their outer ends to receive and rotate about a hinge pin 9. Said hinge pin is loosely supinvention.

()f t d i ported in fixed hinge lugs I4 which extend up- Fig 1 is a front elevation of a construction wardly from the outer flat surface 23 of casting I embodying t invention; and are so spaced that the movable hinge lugs 30 20 Fig 2 is a transverse vertical Section on line lie against their inner faces. The hinge pin 9 is z g of Fig 1; removably held in place, as by cotter pins at Fig 3 is a top plan View of the construction either end. It will be clear from the drawing shcwn in Fig that frame 3 is thus swingable from a plane paral- Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation of the fixed port- 191 and fiomacting With the 1111161 edge M of hole f am on a Smaller scale than Fig casting I (in which position the bottom edge of Fig 5 is a Similar detail of the locking ring; and the cylinder 3 lies against the rubber gasket 26) Fig 5 is a perspective detail of a locking tOOL to an outer or uncovered position 180 degrees op- The invention is directed to providing an im- 3 A glass lens L i Suitably Seated n a cy- ,1 proved and novel. construction for the cover or hndmcal 5.69m 3b on the mtfflior face of the frame d closure for a porthole such as is usually found in and 1S tlghtly held therem. t q theside of a ship, and also to novel and useful nng 3a.whlch cooperates i mtenor threadmg means for readily, a mm at my and securely on the inner face of the cylinder 3 below the lens tening such covers in place and unfastening same. g i g One object of the invention is to enable a ships mven Ion comprises novel means for 35 tening the lens frame or c linder 3 in porighole cover to be fastened and unfastenid sition with respect to the c asting I whe ia g ia i e rap1d1y.and 31.50 tOQSBCUre the .cover firmly m may be very readily secured together and as place wlthout lmposmg torslon or stmm readily unlocked by a single unidirectional movethe lens of glass mounted in the cover. The 1nment AS embodied (L 2 is screw thr d d vention also provides novel means for mounting on 1 inner surface engage fg g 0 and coordinating the closing and Opening Opera" threads 30 on the outer surface of the cylindri V tions of an outer darkening cover or battle cover cal frame 3 Said ring 2 tapers downwardl and with the closure of the lens-supporting frame and outwardly 3 overlie the conformably ag coverportion 22 of the casting I. A plurality of lands The construction providedby the ll'lVGlltlOl'l 1s 35 are formed along the bottom face of ring 2 relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and project radially inwardly so as to lie b a comprises a m of parts f be made short space from the inclined face 22 of the Very strgng and rlgld from relatlvely llght metal casting I. Said lands are themselves inclined at and parts. For this reason it is adapted for the Same ang1e as the f 22 and are spaced use on yachts and small vessels and also on airequally about the bottom of the ring 2 so as to craft, a t ug it is also well adapted for occupy about one-half of the circumference e applicatlon for larger Vesselsthereof. As shown said lands are four in num- Referring now in detail to the present preferred her, but may comprise a greater or a lesser numembod me f the invention illustrated y way ber if desired. The inclined surface 22 of the of example in the accompanying drawing, the fixed casting I is also provided with a plurality POTthOle Opening P15 formed in a frame c of outwardly extending lands 36 which conform prisin an a nu a generally flat casting I which in number and size to the lands 35, but imis securely fastened to the inner wall W of the mediately overlie same so that the lands 35 are ship by bolts or other suitable means. A suitable rotatable with the ring 2 relatively to the overlyflange 20 projects outwardly from the outward ing lands 36 but with a relatively close sliding contact between the bottom surface of lands 36 and the top surface of the lands 35. It will be understood that the ring 2 may be rotated in limited amount so that in one position the lands 35 fit between the lands 36 while in the other position, lands 35 underlie the lands 36 as shown in Fig. 5, thereby to firmly lock and hold the cyllnder 3 to the casting I.

Means are provided for conveniently imparting the necessary rotational movement to ring 2 for the purpose of locking and unlocking same from the casting I. As embodied the lower and outer surface of ring 2 is provided with a plurality of bevelled gear teeth 46 extending around the entire circumference. A suitable tool or wrench I1 is provided with a circular head I8 having gear teeth I9 conforming to the teeth 40 on the ring 2. The shaft of the tool projects downwardly at 45 to form a stud adapted to be socketed in any one of a plurality of circular sockets 47 formed at a desired number of points in the outwardly-extending, fiat portion of the casting I. It will be clear that by seating the stud 45 in any one of the seven sockets 4'1, the teeth I9 will engage the teeth 30 of the ring 2 to permit rotation thereof for locking and unlocking movement. While ordinarily only a single wrench need be used and it may be positioned in any one of the sockets 41, the plurality of spaced sockets 4? permits a multiplied application of turning force when same should be necessary as in cases where the closure has become stuck or rusted from lack of use. In practice the amount of rotation given to the ring 2 in order to lock and unlock same will preferably be onehalf or less of the arc defined by one of the lands, that amount of overlap being adequate to give a good locking action. Any greater rotation of the ring 2 is prevented by a suitable stop, such as the pin- I6 formed at the edge of one of the lands 35 and projecting below same to contact with the edge of the conforming land 35.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the locking movement of the ring 2 is intended and designed to effect a very tight closure of the cylinder 3 into the socket 25 and against the rubber gasket 26. Accordingly the sense of the threading 38 between the cylinder 3 and ring 2 is such that looking rotation of the ring tends to draw the cylinder 3 downwardly and into very tight contact with the gasket 26. The threading 30 may be a multiple thread so as to permit adjustment of the ring 2 with respect to the cylinder 3 to advance or retract the ring with respect to the cylinder, thereby to vary the tightness of the closure. This feature is particularly important to compensate for wearing away of the gasket or shrinkage or compression of same after long use.

Means are provided for accurately retaining the ring 2 in position to seat in closing position without clashing of the lands 35 and 36 when the ring 3 and its attached parts is swung to closing from the open position. As embodied a guiding fin 8 is formed to project upwardly from the casting I and extend inwardly toward the toothed portion of the ring 2. Said fin is bored to pass the hinge pin 9 and is provided with an arcuate surface which projects to lie between any two of the bevelled teeth 40 on the ring 2. To insure the ring 2 stopping in the proper position, whereby the lands 35 and 36 are in a non-engaging relation and a space between the teeth 40 in proper alignment with the fin 8, there is provided a stop pin 50 which is set intothe portion 22 of the frame I so as to be in the path of rotation of the lands 35 carried on ring 2. Thus upon swinging open the ring 2 and cylinder 3, the fin 8 guides the swinging movement but prevents rotation of the ring 2 with respect to the cylinder 3 and upon return thereof to closed position insures that the lands will not clash or overlap.

It will be noted that the level of the hinge pin or axis 9 is substantially in the same plane as the rubber gasket 26. This construction prevents any swiping or bending movement with respect to the gasket upon closing of the port, as is normally the case with portholes of present construction, in which the axis of the hinged cover is above the plane of the gasket and causes an uneven pressure and swiping or digging in closing, which tend to The invention further provides a novel construction and arrangement of means for combining a darkening or battle cover with the above described mechanism. As embodied a darkening cover 4 formed as a disc casting is mounted to overlie the upper edge of the cylinder 3 and is hinged for relative opening and closing movement with respect thereto. The bottom face of this board is grooved at 5 near its periphery to receive a rubber gasket which overlies and seats upon the upper ridged edge of the cylinder 3.

The embodied means for hingedly supporting the disc 6 with respect to the frame 3 and the casting I comprises a pair of outwardly extending hinged arms 4a which are bored to rotate about the hinge pin 9 just within the hinge arms 30. Means for fastening the cover disc 4 to the lens frame 3 comprises a hook I 3 projecting from the periphery of the cylinder 3 and a hasp I2 pivotally formed on the draw bolt I0. Said bolt is pivotally mounted on the periphery of the disc 4 and is locked in closing position by a toggle action in a known manner. Thus the darkening cover 4, when in closed position, may be released and moved together with the lens frame 3 as a unit simply by release of the locking ring 2 as above described. On the other hand by releasing the hasp I 2 by pulling the ring II, the cover 4 may be separately disengaged and swung out of the way while the lens frame 3 remains locked. I The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claim with out departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

A porthole closure including in combination a fixed frame having a port therein, a lens frame hingedly mounted with respect to the porthole frame and movable into and out of parallelism therewith, a rotatable locking ring mounted on the lens frame and surrounding a portion of the fixed frame, one or more lands on said surrounded portion of the fixed frame projecting radially therefrom, and conforming lands on the rotatable locking ring adapted to underlie said first-mentioned lands and movable into and out of locking engagement therewith upon rotation of the locking ring, the axis of said lens frame being substantially in the same plane as the contacting face of said frame with that of the fixed frame.

JOHN A. ELFS'I'ROM.

unseat or tear the gasket. 1 

